Infogroup ready to move past firm’s sale, scandal

Infogroup is in a strong competitive position because of the quality of its data, Malloy said, adding that the main challenge is to find new uses for its data and ways to market that.

Consumers might not even realize they’re using Infogroup’s data online. But Infogroup’s data has been used in Google’s local searches since 2005, and Google recently renewed its licensing agreement.

Hart said she believes there is a great deal of opportunity for Infogroup in direct marketing. More companies are using mail or electronic direct marketing instead of mass media because they can track the results, she said.

The Direct Marketing Association estimates 54 percent of the roughly $275 million spent on advertising in the United States last year was spend on direct marketing. Advertising spending is likely to grow as the economy recovers.

With that in mind, Hart said she expects to draw on her experience in the news business to help Infogroup expand. The company’s real value is in the way it processes data and makes it available to clients, she said.

“News and information are only as good as the delivery vehicle. Data is the same way,” Hart said.

Along with Infogroup’s main database unit and call centers in Omaha, the company owns market research firm Opinion Research, and it offers direct mail, e-mail and other marketing services. Infogroup has sizable operations in Omaha; Princeton, N.J.; Concord, Mass.; Pearl River, N.Y.; and Portland, Ore.